Cnap, IX.] 165 
much injured or quite killed. It is clear that this salt is highly 
poisonous.* 
Acetate of Quimine-—Four leaves were immersed, each in thirty 
minims of a solution of one part to 437 of water. The solution was 
tested with litmus paper, and was not acid. After only 10 m. all four 
leaves were greatly, and after 6 hrs. immensely, inflected. They were 
then left in water for 60 hrs., but never re-expanded ; the glands were 
white, and the leaves evidently dead. This salt is far more efficient 
than the sulphate in causing inflection, and, like that salt, is highly 
poisonous. 
Nitrate of Quinine——Four leaves were immersed, each in thirty 
minims of a solution of one part to 437 of water. After 6 hrs. there 
was hardly a trace of inflection; after 22 hrs. three of the leaves were 
moderately, and the fourth slightly inflected; so that this salt induces, 
though rather slowly, well-marked inflection. ‘hese leaves, on being 
left in water for 48 hrs., almost completely re-expanded, but the glands 
were much discoloured. Hence this salt is not poisonous in any high 
degree. The different action of the three foregoing salts of quinine is 
singular. 
Digitaline—Half-minims of a solution of one part to 437 of water 
were placed on the discs of five leaves. In 3 hrs. 45 m. some of them 
had their tentacles, and one had its blade, moderately inflected. After 
8 hrs. three of them were well inflected; the fourth had only a few 
tentacles inflected, and the fifth (an old leaf) was not at all affected. 
They remained in nearly the same state for two days, but the glands 
on their discs became pale. On the third day the leaves appeared 
much injured. Nevertheless, when bits of meat were placed on two of 
them, the outer tentacles became inflected. A minute drop (about 3 
of a minim) of the solution was applied to three glands, and after 6 
hrs. all three tentacles were inflected, but next day had nearly re- 
expanded; so that this very small dose of gyigg of a grain (°00225 
mg.) acts on a tentacle, but is not poisonous. Jt appears from these 
several facts that digitaline causes inflection, and poisons the glands 
which absorb a moderately large amount. 
Nicotine.—The secretion round several glands was touched with a 
minute drop of the pure fluid, and the glands were instantly blackened ; 
the tentacles becoming inflected in a few minutes. Two leaves were 
immersed in a weak solution of two drops to 1 oz., or 437 grains, of 
water. When examined after 3 hrs. 20 m., only twenty-one tentacles 
ALKALOID POISONS. 
* Binz found several years ago 
(as stated in ‘The Journal of 
Anatomy and Phys.” November 
1872, p. 195) that quinia is an 
energetic poison to low vegetable 
and animal organisms. Even one 
part added to 4000 parts of blood 
arrests the movements of the white 
corpuscles, which become “ rounded 
and granular.” In the tentacles of 
Drosera the aggregated masses of 
protoplasm, which appeared killed 
by the quinine, likewise presented a 
granular appearance. A similar 
appearance is caused by very hot 
water. 
